Frameless liquid crystal display device

ABSTRACT

A frameless liquid crystal display device includes a rear enclosure, a backlight module arranged inside the rear enclosure, a mold frame arranged on the backlight module and mounted to the rear enclosure, and a liquid crystal display panel arranged on the mold frame. The liquid crystal display panel has an upper portion mounted to the mold frame through vacuum suction cups, each of which includes a cup portion that is attached through suction to a non-displaying zone of a back surface of the liquid crystal display panel and a stem portion that is fixed to the mold frame by a screw so as to fix the upper portion of the liquid crystal display panel to the mold frame. The liquid crystal display panel forms a step and a surface decoration is bonded to the step to fix the liquid crystal display panel to the mold frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display device, and in particular to a frameless liquid crystal display device.

2. The Related Arts

A liquid crystal display (LCD) has various advantages, such as thin device body, less power consumption, and being free of radiation, and is thus widely used. Most of the liquid crystal displays available in the market are backlighting liquid crystal displays, which comprise a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight module. The principle of operation of the liquid crystal display panel is that liquid crystal molecules are arranged between two parallel glass substrates and electricity is selectively applied to cause change of the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules in order to refract the light from a backlight module for emission and formation of an image.

The liquid crystal display generally comprises a rear enclosure and a front enclosure mating the rear enclosure, a backlight module arranged in the rear enclosure, a mold frame arranged on the backlight module, and a liquid crystal display panel arranged on the mold frame. The mold frame functions to support the liquid crystal display panel, while the front enclosure retains the liquid crystal display panel in position.

The liquid crystal display panel comprises a color filter (CF) substrate, a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate, liquid crystal (LC) interposed between the CF substrate and the TFT substrate, and a sealant. A positional differentiation is formed between edges of the CF substrate and the TFT substrate for electrical connection with an external device to drive the liquid crystal display panel.

The continuous progress of the techniques for manufacturing liquid crystal displays drives the liquid crystal displays in a direction toward a slim bezel configuration and further toward a frameless configuration. However, fixing a liquid crystal display panel of a frameless liquid crystal display is still a tough problem today.

Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic view of a known structure of frameless liquid crystal display is shown, which comprises a rear enclosure 100, a backlight module 300 arranged inside the rear enclosure 100, a mold frame 500 arranged on the backlight module and fixedly coupled to the rear enclosure 100, and a liquid crystal display panel 700 arranged on the mold frame 500. The liquid crystal display panel and the mold frame 500 are bonded to each other by a piece of double-sided adhesive tape 900. A surface decoration 110 is provided in the a step 724 formed between a CF substrate 702 and a TFT substrate 704 of the liquid crystal display panel 700 to further fix the liquid crystal display panel 700 so as to achieve fixation of the liquid crystal display panel of frameless liquid crystal display.

To securely fix the liquid crystal display panel 700 to the mold frame 500, the double-sided adhesive tape 900 must be of sufficient bonding strength. This leads to hard removal of the double-sided adhesive tape 900 in disassembling the liquid crystal display panel 700 and eventually damage of the liquid crystal display panel 700 may result, causing great loss and increasing maintenance cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a frameless liquid crystal display device, which has a simple structure, is easy to assemble, and can effectively reduce expense of maintenance.

To achieve the object, the present invention provides a frameless liquid crystal display device, which comprises a rear enclosure, a backlight module arranged inside the rear enclosure, a mold frame arranged on the backlight module and mounted to the rear enclosure, and a liquid crystal display panel arranged on the mold frame. The liquid crystal display panel has an upper portion that is mounted to the mold frame through a plurality of vacuum suction cups. Each of the vacuum suction cups comprises a cup portion and a stem portion. The cup portion is attached through suction to a non-displaying zone of a back surface of the liquid crystal display panel. The stem portion is fixed to the mold frame by a screw so as to have the upper portion of the liquid crystal display panel fixed to the mold frame. The liquid crystal display panel comprises a CF substrate and a TFT substrate laminated on the CF substrate. The CF substrate forms a step with respect to a lower edge of the TFT substrate. A surface decoration is bonded to the step and fixed to the mold frame so as to assemble the liquid crystal display panel to the mold frame.

The mold frame forms through holes corresponding to the stem portions of the vacuum suction cups. Washers are respectively arranged between the vacuum suction cups and the screws.

Each of the vacuum suction cups comprises a reverse valve arranged therein, whereby tightening the screw expels air out of the vacuum suction cup to have the vacuum suction cup attached through suction to the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel.

The plurality of vacuum suction cups is uniformly distributed on the non-displaying zone of the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel.

The mold frame is fixed to the rear enclosure by screws.

The surface decoration is fixed to the mold frame by screws.

A cushioning pad is arranged between the liquid crystal display panel and the mold frame.

A top face of the surface decoration and a top face of the CF substrate are located on a same plane.

A cushioning structure is arranged between the surface decoration and the liquid crystal display panel.

The present invention also provides a frameless liquid crystal display device, which comprises a rear enclosure, a backlight module arranged inside the rear enclosure, a mold frame arranged on the backlight module and mounted to the rear enclosure, and a liquid crystal display panel arranged on the mold frame, the liquid crystal display panel having an upper portion that is mounted to the mold frame through a plurality of vacuum suction cups, each of the vacuum suction cups comprising a cup portion and a stem portion, the cup portions being attached through suction to a non-displaying zone of a back surface of the liquid crystal display panel, the stem portions being fixed to the mold frame by screws so as to have the upper portion of the liquid crystal display panel fixed to the mold frame, the liquid crystal display panel comprising a CF substrate and a TFT substrate laminated on the CF substrate, the CF substrate forming a step with respect to a lower edge of the TFT substrate, a surface decoration being bonded to the step and fixed to the mold frame so as to assemble the liquid crystal display panel to the mold frame;

wherein the mold frame forms through holes corresponding to the stem portions of the vacuum suction cups, washers being respectively arranged between the vacuum suction cups and the screws;

wherein each of the vacuum suction cups comprises a reverse valve arranged therein, whereby tightening the screw expels air out of the vacuum suction cup to have the vacuum suction cup attached through suction to the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel;

wherein the plurality of vacuum suction cups is uniformly distributed on the non-displaying zone of the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel;

wherein the mold frame is fixed to the rear enclosure by screws;

wherein the surface decoration is fixed to the mold frame by screws;

wherein a cushioning pad is arranged between the liquid crystal display panel and the mold frame;

wherein a top face of the surface decoration, a top face of the CF substrate, and a top face of the retention section of the mold frame all located on a same plane; and

wherein a cushioning structure is arranged between the surface decoration and the liquid crystal display panel.

The efficacy of the present invention is that the present invention provides a frameless liquid crystal display device, which comprises vacuum suction cups that suck and hold an upper portion of the liquid crystal display panel, and the vacuum suction cups are fixed by screws to the mold frame. The liquid crystal display panel has a lower portion forming a step that is fixed to the mold frame by a surface decoration, whereby the liquid crystal display panel is fixed to the mold frame in a removable manner and thus realizing fixation of the liquid crystal display panel of the frameless liquid crystal display device, which has a simple structure and is easy to install so as to allow easy removal of the liquid crystal display panel for maintenance or replacement and effective reduction of maintenance expense.

For better understanding of the features and technical contents of the present invention, reference will be made to the following detailed description of the present invention and the attached drawings. However, the drawings are provided for the purposes of reference and illustration and are not intended to impose undue limitations to the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The technical solution, as well as beneficial advantages, of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the attached drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the structure of a conventional frameless liquid crystal display device;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the structure of a frameless liquid crystal display device according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of portion A of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing through holes defined in a mold frame to correspond to vacuum suction cups according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To further expound the technical solution adopted in the present invention and the advantages thereof, a detailed description is given to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the attached drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the present invention provides a frameless liquid crystal display device, which comprises: a rear enclosure 2, a backlight module 4 arranged inside the rear enclosure 2, a mold frame 6 arranged on the backlight module 4 and mounted to the rear enclosure 2, and a liquid crystal display panel 8 arranged on the mold frame 6. In the instant embodiment, the mold frame 6 is fixed to the rear enclosure 2 by screws.

The liquid crystal display panel 8 has an upper portion that is coupled to the mold frame 6 by vacuum suction cups 3. Each of vacuum suction cups 3 comprises a cup portion 32 and a stem portion 34. The cup portion 32 of the vacuum suction cup 3 is attached, through suction, to a non-displaying zone on a back surface of the liquid crystal display panel 8. The stem portion 34 is fixed to the mold frame 6 by a screw 36. The mold frame 6 forms a through hole 66 corresponding to the stem portion 34 of each of the vacuum suction cups 3. A washer 38 is arranged between the stem portion 34 of the vacuum suction cup 3 and the screw 36 for fixation between the mold frame 6 and the vacuum suction cup 3. The vacuum suction cup 3 comprises a reverse valve (not shown) so that tightening the screw may expel air out of the cup portion 32 of the vacuum suction cup 3 to have the vacuum suction cup 3 attached through suction to the liquid crystal display panel 8 thereby fixing the liquid crystal display panel 8 to the mold frame 6. A plurality of vacuum suction cups 3 can be used and arranged to uniformly distribute on a non-displaying zone of the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel 8. Preferably, four vacuum suction cups 3 are used.

The liquid crystal display panel 8 comprises a color filter (CF) substrate 82 and a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate 84 laminated on the CF substrate 82 and a top polarization plate 86 and a bottom polarization plate 88 respectively laminated to the CF substrate 82 and the TFT substrate 84. The CF substrate 82 and a lower edge of the TFT substrate 84 form therebetween a step 824. A surface decoration 9 is positioned on and holds down the step 824 and is fixed to the mold frame 6 by screws so as to fix an end of the liquid crystal display panel 8 that is adjacent to the step 824 to the mold frame. Thus, the liquid crystal display panel 8 is completely fixed to the mold frame 6 and the mold frame 6 is fixed to the rear enclosure 2 by screws so as to form a complete set of frameless liquid crystal display device.

Preferably, a top face 92 of the surface decoration 9 and a top face 822 of the CF substrate 82 are both located on the same plane to provide the liquid crystal display device with a good appearance.

To protect the liquid crystal display panel 8, a cushioning pad 68 may be added between the liquid crystal display panel 8 and the mold frame 6 and a cushioning structure 98 is provided between the surface decoration 9 and the liquid crystal display panel 8.

The cushioning pad 68 and the cushioning structure 98 can be of any specific shapes that are arranged according to different applications.

To assemble, the stem portions 34 of the vacuum suction cups 3 are respectively fit into the through holes 66 defined in the mold frame 6 and the cup portions 32 of the vacuum suction cups 3 are positioned against a non-displaying zone on an upper portion of the liquid crystal display panel 8. By tightening the screws 36, the vacuum suction cups 3 are attached through suction to the liquid crystal display panel 8 thereby fixing the upper portion of the liquid crystal display panel 8 to the mold frame 6. The surface decoration 9 is positioned on the step 824 of the liquid crystal display panel 8. And, the lower side mold frame 6 is positioned on the backlight module 4 and screws are applied to secure the backplane 42 of the backlight module 4, the mold frame 6, and the surface decoration 9 together thereby fixing the lower portion of the liquid crystal display panel 8 to the mold frame 6. Finally, the rear enclosure 2 is secured to the mold frame 6 by screws to complete the assembling operation of the frameless liquid crystal display device.

The backlight module 4 comprises a backplane 42, a backlight source 44 arranged inside the backplane 42, a reflector plate 46 arranged inside the backplane 42, a light guide plate 48 positioned on the reflector plate 46, and an optic film assembly 49 positioned on the light guide plate 48.

The backplane 42 comprises a bottom board 422 and a side board 424 connected to the bottom board 422. The backlight source 44 is mounted to the side board 424. The reflector plate 46 is arranged on the bottom board 422. Preferably, a heat dissipation board 442 is additionally arranged between the backlight source 44 and the side board 424 of the backplane 42. The backlight source 44 is bonded by thermal paste (not shown) to the heat dissipation board 442 and the heat dissipation board 442 is bonded by thermal paste or is fixed by screws to the side board 424 of the backplane 42 so as to fix the backlight source 44 to the side board 424 of the backplane 42.

The backlight source 44 comprises a linear light source, preferably a light-emitting diode (LED) light bar that emits light of which a portion directly enters the light guide plate 48 by traveling through a light incidence face of the light guide plate 48 and a remaining portion is guided into the light guide plate 48 by being reflected by the reflector plate 49. The light propagates in the light guide plate 48, while being subjected to total reflection and refraction so as to provide a homogenous planar light source to the liquid crystal display panel 8.

The liquid crystal display panel 8 further comprises liquid crystal (not shown) interposed between the CF substrate 82 and the TFT substrate 84.

The planar light source provided by the backlight module 4 is first polarized by the bottom polarization plate 88, then transmits through and refracted by the liquid crystal molecules, and is finally polarized by the top polarization plate 86 to emerge from the liquid crystal display panel 8 for realization of image displaying.

In summary, the present invention provides a frameless liquid crystal display device, which comprises vacuum suction cups that suck and hold an upper portion of the liquid crystal display panel, and the vacuum suction cups are fixed by screws to the mold frame. The liquid crystal display panel has a lower portion forming a step that is fixed to the mold frame by a surface decoration, whereby the liquid crystal display panel is fixed to the mold frame in a removable manner and thus realizing fixation of the liquid crystal display panel of the frameless liquid crystal display device, which has a simple structure and is easy to install so as to allow easy removal of the liquid crystal display panel for maintenance or replacement and effective reduction of maintenance expense.

Based on the description given above, those having ordinary skills of the art may easily contemplate various changes and modifications of the technical solution and technical ideas of the present invention and all these changes and modifications are considered within the protection scope of right for the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A frameless liquid crystal display device, comprising a rear enclosure, a backlight module arranged inside the rear enclosure, a mold frame arranged on the backlight module and mounted to the rear enclosure, and a liquid crystal display panel arranged on the mold frame, the liquid crystal display panel having an upper portion that is mounted to the mold frame through a plurality of vacuum suction cups, each of the vacuum suction cups comprising a cup portion and a stem portion, the cup portions being attached through suction to a non-displaying zone of a back surface of the liquid crystal display panel, the stem portions being fixed to the mold frame by screws so as to have the upper portion of the liquid crystal display panel fixed to the mold frame, the liquid crystal display panel comprising a color filter (CF) substrate and a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate laminated on the CF substrate, the CF substrate forming a step with respect to a lower edge of the TFT substrate, a surface decoration being bonded to the step and fixed to the mold frame so as to assemble the liquid crystal display panel to the mold frame.
 2. The frameless liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mold frame forms through holes corresponding to the stem portions of the vacuum suction cups, washers being respectively arranged between the vacuum suction cups and the screws.
 3. The frameless liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein tightening the screw of each of the vacuum suction cups expels air out of the vacuum suction cup to have the vacuum suction cup attached through suction to the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel.
 4. The frameless liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of vacuum suction cups is uniformly distributed on the non-displaying zone of the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel.
 5. The frameless liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mold frame is fixed to the rear enclosure by screws.
 6. The frameless liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface decoration is fixed to the mold frame by screws.
 7. The frameless liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cushioning pad is arranged between the liquid crystal display panel and the mold frame.
 8. The frameless liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a top face of the surface decoration and a top face of the CF substrate are located on a same plane.
 9. The frameless liquid crystal display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cushioning structure is arranged between the surface decoration and the liquid crystal display panel.
 10. A frameless liquid crystal display device, comprising a rear enclosure, a backlight module arranged inside the rear enclosure, a mold frame arranged on the backlight module and mounted to the rear enclosure, and a liquid crystal display panel arranged on the mold frame, the liquid crystal display panel having an upper portion that is mounted to the mold frame through a plurality of vacuum suction cups, each of the vacuum suction cups comprising a cup portion and a stem portion, the cup portions being attached through suction to a non-displaying zone of a back surface of the liquid crystal display panel, the stem portions being fixed to the mold frame by screws so as to have the upper portion of the liquid crystal display panel fixed to the mold frame, the liquid crystal display panel comprising a color filter (CF) substrate and a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate laminated on the CF substrate, the CF substrate forming a step with respect to a lower edge of the TFT substrate, a surface decoration being bonded to the step and fixed to the mold frame so as to assemble the liquid crystal display panel to the mold frame; wherein the mold frame forms through holes corresponding to the stem portions of the vacuum suction cups, washers being respectively arranged between the vacuum suction cups and the screws; wherein tightening the screw of each of the vacuum suction cups expels air out of the vacuum suction cup to have the vacuum suction cup attached through suction to the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel; wherein the plurality of vacuum suction cups is uniformly distributed on the non-displaying zone of the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel; wherein the mold frame is fixed to the rear enclosure by screws; wherein the surface decoration is fixed to the mold frame by screws; wherein a cushioning pad is arranged between the liquid crystal display panel and the mold frame; wherein a top face of the surface decoration, a top face of the CF substrate, and a top face of the retention section of the mold frame all located on a same plane; and wherein a cushioning structure is arranged between the surface decoration and the liquid crystal display panel. 